Platforms · Software · Providers · Markets
FTMO announced its futures product on 31 August 2026, adding a dedicated line of business alongside its CFD operation. The firm said the offering uses Tradovate, NinjaTrader and TradingView for exchange access. Founders Otakar Šuffner and Marek Vašíček have committed a separate team and capital to the business, rather than treating futures as a small extension of the existing service.
The founders first shared an interest in futures while at the Prague University of Economics and Business, 14 years ago. When they established FTMO in 2015, they chose CFDs instead: the retail prop trading market was young, and they lacked the funding and business experience needed to enter futures. They say client requests later brought them back to the market, with demand arriving from across the world rather than mainly from the US.
The futures launch sits alongside FTMO's expansion into brokerage. The founders initially considered buying smaller regulated brokers in Europe and Australia, then hired industry staff to build a brokerage operation, including former Skilling chief executive Michael Kamerman in late 2024.
They later bought OANDA from private equity firm CVC. FTMO and OANDA retain separate management teams, while both founders serve as co-CEOs of the wider group.
The numbers shaping FTMO's expansion
| Measure | Reported figure |
|---|---|
| Futures evaluation fee at $100,000 | Roughly $190 on average |
| CFD/FX evaluation fee at $100,000 | About $420 |
| FTMO revenue in 2025 | Approximately $420 million, up 31% year-on-year |
| FTMO net income in 2025 | Down 59% to roughly $37.5 million |
| Miss against projected trader payout targets | 82% |
How the founders describe the business
Many futures evaluations use a subscription and single-phase format, which has helped keep their entry price below comparable CFD/FX evaluations. FTMO instead charges a one-time fee. Šuffner said the firm chose that model after asking clients what they wanted to trade. The company is taking on US incumbent Topstep, and Vašíček said the barriers to entry are lower than in regulated financial services.
The OANDA purchase was not, Šuffner said, a way to secure a direct MetaQuotes licence. In 2024, MetaQuotes withdrew licences from firms sublicensing its software to US prop clients, prompting some businesses to buy regulated brokers. FTMO's stated rationale was to broaden group services and strengthen the business. The founders also say they are working to manage abusive trading, including hedging. FPFX Tech, whose infrastructure serves over 150 prop firms, has added monitoring intended to flag such conduct.
Regulatory scrutiny remains another consideration. ESMA began preliminary reviews of prop trading in 2024.
In January, the Dutch financial regulator found that instant funding accounts from Unfunded amounted to CFD trading without the required MiFID II licence; a court upheld the decision. FTMO has also received questions from the Spanish regulator and ASIC. The founders' account of the OANDA transaction, regulatory inquiries and their approach to the business was reported by Finance Magnates.
FTMO's 2025 revenue growth did not prevent a sharp fall in net income. The founders linked the result to extreme volatility and said projected trader payout targets were missed by 82%. They present the group's established brokerage presence as a source of credibility, while keeping the two businesses operationally distinct. They also say FTMO and OANDA are 100% founder-owned and remain open to possible outside investment, including a public listing.
Where this lands in the stack
The launch names the platforms used to access futures, but does not set out how account data, execution events or evaluations move between them and FTMO's systems. Operators should establish which system owns the authoritative account state, how fills and evaluation results are reconciled, and where risk limits and payout decisions are recorded. The source does not specify the technical interfaces or the operating costs of the new service.
With futures treated as a separate business and OANDA retaining its own management, the group's teams will need clear ownership for cross-business risk, reporting and regulatory questions. Firms assessing the model should ask how the futures workflow differs from the CFD process, how abusive trading is identified and reviewed, and what records support those decisions. The founders have described the business structure and market approach, but not the implementation details.
